Exemplary embodiments herein generally relate to a load-carrying bed of a vehicle, and more particularly relate to a cargo hold-down device for securing cargo within the load-carrying bed.
Vehicles having load-carrying beds (e.g., pickup trucks) are commonly used to facilitate transportation of cargo items from one location to another, such as through placement of cargo items in the bed. While such vehicles are available in many sizes and configurations, a typical load-carrying bed vehicle includes a bed floor that can support the cargo items. A typical load-carrying bed also includes a headboard structure and side walls to help restrain cargo within the bed. Sometimes a tailgate or other closure is provided along an open end of the bed (i.e., the end opposite the headboard).
Frequently it is necessary to carry lengthy cargo, such as ladders, pipe, lumber, plastic siding, other construction materials, etc. that are typically longer than the length of the load-carrying bed, even with the tailgate down. In such cases, the cargo is typically tied down with rope or straps and possibly weighted with cement blocks or other heavy objects. Such methods of retaining the cargo are inconvenient, time consuming and potentially very unsafe in the event the cargo drops from the vehicle to the road surface.
A variety of devices have been used to retain cargo within the load-carrying bed of the vehicle. One known retaining device includes horizontal bars which are mounted on horizontal tracks to retain cargo in position inside the truck. Another known retaining device includes a horizontal bar moveable vertically on posts which are, in turn, positionable on vertical tracks formed in the side walls of the load-carrying bed. However, the known retaining devices are bulky, inconvenient to use and sometimes expensive to manufacture. Cargo bed liners for pickup trucks have also been modified to retain items within the load-carrying bed. These bed liners, however, typically only retain items with partitions within the bed to prevent sliding around in the bed. There are no features directed to retaining lengthy cargo that extends well beyond the load-carrying bed.